20% 20% 20% Long way for this team to go, which isn't a surprise given the utter **** condition in which it was left. Herman's definitely up to it, but the thing is it takes time. Offense: Lots of growing pains Defense: That was just painful Special Teams: Painfully obvious that they're in over their head.
Is there a psychological thing with players just not knowing how to win? Like they have never really overcome the tough situations and found it within themselves to break through. I don’t know, just pondering the mindset of a team that hasn’t experienced much success recently.
It really is a mindset and it does take a while to change it. First, we have to remember that these seniors (both true and RS) are people that Mack Brown signed when he was literally just winging it, so we can dismiss that class. Second, Strong never knew what he wanted. At first he wanted a dominating defense, then he figured out that's impossible in the Big 12 with all the good QB play and the high-octane offenses so he "settled" for bend-don't-break, and in doing so he went from playing primarily man coverage to soft zone. Similarly, he wanted a ball control offense, and when he figured out that mentality doesn't really translate to success (unless you have that NFL-caliber defense) in the Big 12, he runs off and signs Gilbert after Watson. The point is that truly successful coaches have a product to sell to recruits, and the recruits that buy in the hardest are the ones that achieve the most success. When you spend offseason after offseason trying to figure out what the f**k you want to do (just like when Mack went from 2008-2009 to hyper spread no-huddle to an imitation of Alabama to a different hyper spread no-huddle in a 6-year period, recruits pick up on that. They're not stupid and they can take notes when they watch all your games (which they invariably do). My dad pointed this out during the game and I had actually forgotten how pivotal this is, but this football program has changed playcallers on offense 4 times in 4 seasons. We went 2014/Watson, 2015/Norvell, 2016/Gilbert, 2017/Beck, and they all have different ideas offensively. That's a terrible message to send to these kids as far as the mental aspect is concerned.
I can't quote him exactly, but in the pregame, Manny Acho said, in essence, these players are basically who they were last year. He may be the only person with a clue.
Well he's certainly not the only one who knows it, maybe just the only one (certainly on the LHN) who says it. If it wasn't painfully obvious before, it is now.
Ricky pretty much says it like it is, too. These players suck. Doesn't explain some of the monumentally stupid coaching decisions today.
Thanks HP! You were quick on this Grade Report! Like others, I expected miscues in the first game with a new coach. (Technical note, watched my first game streaming FS1 on my iPad from my hotel room) It was stunning how many Burnt Orange drives were absolutely shut-down by penalties on O! How many Red Zone penetrations lost to a holding penalty ... or that WR screen rule? I'm trying to keep my interest in this ... and it even pains me to admit my apathy. So before anyone else feels the need to demonstrate their UT superiorness ... I grew up with the Horns. It became my job to inscribe the score on Dad's back glass pickup window with white shoe polish (he was poking the local aggys). I sang the Eyes of Texas standing in the pickup seat next to Dad. UT Grad, married to one; her large family are all graduates ... season ticket holders consecutively and in the same seats since '88. But life is happening. Dad's departure from this place will be a year this month. My two boys, who also grew up singing the Eyes of Texas, have chosen career paths by which The University cannot help them; hence, they are NOT at the 40 Acres. The lunacy of The University and the statues ... the treatment of a good man who may or may not have been a good coach (Charlie) ... and today (as referenced in the game day thread) it seemed like Greg Davis was calling plays (sideways ball and virtually NO attacking the LOS in either the passing game nor rushing game). I suppose I'll be at my post next week for San Jose (working this Labor Day weekend) ... but I cannot deny the level of rabid I once had simply isn't there anymore. Hope y'all can carry on. I think I may be backing out. AV
I'm still on the Herman bandwagon, but I must say that was a dismal performance by the whole coaching staff & players. My expectations were tempered coming into the season. But, I DID EXPECT to see solid on-the-field disciplined, physical play along with smart in-game coaching strategy & decisions. TH gets an "F" for that!! But, hey, even straight A students fail a test now and then....just learn from the F & don't repeat it. To HP's point, if you have an alcohol or drug addiction, it takes time to kick the habit and rehabilitate. So, this "loser" addiction rehab project will take time. I will be patient!!
I turned the channel when he said "we just have to play better." I put my head down and almost wept. I still think he comes up with answers. I may be the only one, but I'm still Team Herman.
HP, would you possibly have the time and inclination to grade Marylands performance? I have a sneaking suspicion their grade wouldn't be much better which would prove how monumentally crappy we played today to lose this game.
This. I came away after game and thought I was seeing a game from last year. Same players. Same players not getting it done. I don't even know if they are coachable....
That's what I was saying; last years team minus D'Onta... 2,028 yards 6.3 yards per carry 15 touchdowns From where I sit nobody on this years roster is even close. When you look at those stats you can see from a year's perspective how the negativity of Charlie's failure over-shadowed what was an incredible year.
I kept thinking throughout the game that if Kyle Porter is the best RB we have, we are in trouble. I kept waiting for either Porter of Warren to show something and they what they showed was ugly.
6-7 and played in a bowl game. They have a good Harbaugh assistant who is building and out-coached us today. Actually one of those he left was a 2,000 yard rusher. I have not seen anything to tell me that the recruits the next guy had have been any better or even are as good. We look less talented now than in 2014... especially on defense.
I know. I'm afraid we're in for a long haul unless something clicks in their head meaning vision. But the line has to open some holes. Warren showed big time ability two years ago. Is he two years too far into weight-lifting to have any explosiveness (meaning he has lost any quick-twitch he might have had)? I don't know. It just seemed he was D'Onta's equal back then. We had a two headed backfield that broke some long runs.
Warren doesn’t seem to have any “explosiveness” (for lack of a better word) in his runs. He’s big and powerful enough to put a shoulder down and run through many defenders. Also, Duvernay on kick returns just looks timid as he takes off. He has burner speed but I don’t see the decisiveness of someone who wants to take off and make something happen.
I said the same about Warren in the game thread. Does not hit the hole hard. So, same old lack of physicality. All talk so far from the staff.
I only saw a portion of the presser, Herman's comments and a few questions, so perhaps I missed some revelations. But I am not in the camp of "it takes time to change a culture" or, "same players, same results." Perhaps not a fair comparison but, look at what Harbaugh and Meyer did with many of the same players in their first year. Great coaches get it done and candidly, I thought -- and I still believe -- that Herman has all of the tools to be a great coach. So what happened today? The one characteristic that Herman lacks from my perspective is humility. That's OK...I suppose. Few great coaches possess that quality. But after today, perhaps it's time for humble pie. As I reflect back on the game and my (our) expectations, I am still baffled. What just happened, and how did it happen? My advice to Herman would have been, and still is simply this. Take a page out of Bear Bryant's playbook and fall on the sword. Perhaps he should have started the presser as follows: "I let this team down. We -- the coaches -- let this team down. After the spring and the fall camps, after all of the sacrifices they made, we failed our kids. We didn't have them ready. I'm embarrassed for the players, for the fans, and for the University." Whether or not that is entirely true doesn't matter. It could have the effect of changing the psyche of the team, a psyche that has to be fragile. They would be playing for the honor and reputation of their coach, not just their teammates. Unless they hate him, that is strong motivation. Hey, it's one angle. Explanations escape me.
I'm the first to admit that I know very little, next to nothing in fact, about the x's and o's of football. I never played, I'm just a huge fan of watching my teams play. That said, can someone explain why we split a RB out wide in four receiver sets when WR is our most stacked position group?
I saw the presser. He was stunned. Deflated. He kept reaching for that bottle of water to buy himself some time between responses. There is no doubt he walked into the job feeling absolutely confident that he had what it takes. I don't know if humility is what was needed as I don't feel that Harbaugh brought humility to the table. Maybe you mean it in a more subtle way in that great coaches still respect the opposition and don't buy their own BS.
I noticed the same thing with the big gulps of water even sometimes when he was in mid-sentence stumbling through an answer.
